Season 6 Episode 2 : Of Tin and Flesh EN
by hyperfraise
Summary: The Fringe team faces again mysterious Shapeshifters with uncertain allegiances.
1. Chapter 1

**John Joseph Moakley Courthouse, Boston, on a bright morning. In his office, an elegant and neat tall 40 year old man, is putting all of his stuff in a box.**

He grabs a frame holding a photograph of his wife, boy and him, standing happily. He smiles. There goes his plaque : "ATTORNEY C. DUSTIN". It's sunny. He glances at a yard, through his window and smiles again. The door opens and a woman, his colleague, surprises him.

MARIA : So, Senator ? Feeling nostalgic ?

DUSTIN : Hi, Maria. You know, fateful feelings. But no regrets ! I'm gonna miss you all.

MARIA, getting closer the desk : We'll do fine.

 _They cuddle._

MARIA : Stay in touch. I know that a senator's life can be pretty busy, but you'll still think about us, right ?

DUSTIN, grabbing his box and heading to the door : Maybe about my real family first, but then about you, don't worry. And don't you feel bad, you're taking my place !

MARIA : One cannnot replace such a lawyer !

 _They head out. In the corridor, a few people. Almost all are wearing glasses, some carry books, some seem to be lawyers. All of them greets Dustin._

DUSTIN : Oh, can you allow me just a moment to say Goodbye to the place ?

MARIA, gullible : Of course. Let's meet up on the steps in a few.

 **At the same time, in front of those steps, two FBI trucks pull over.**

 **Next shot : Dustin, alone in a closet, on the phone.**

PHONE : They're here, 17. You've gotta sneak out.

DUSTIN : Sneak out ? How ?

 _He glances through the window's roller blinds._

DUSTIN : Im surrounded...

PHONE : Find a way. Or erase the data. They shan't retrieve anything.

DUSTIN, with a darker tone, gulping : Very well. Goodbye, 13.

 _He hangs up._

 **Shot of Dustin rushing through corridors, now a lot more serious, still dragging his box. He doesn't pay attention to the people that wave at him anymore.**

 _He's sweating abundantly. He suddenly grabs an agape woman's arm. But he can already hear :_

AGENT : Right there !

 _He hasn't got much time. He knocks a door open and plunges in the stairs. Many footsteps can be heared behind him._

 **Outside, on the Courthouse steps, Maria's waiting. The presence of the FBI bothers her.**

 _She stands up and begins heading toward the inside. She spots Dustin running through the main hall, with his box under the arm._

MARIA, lifting her arm : Cedric ! I'm here !

 _Still chased by the agents, he jumps thourgh the glass, shattering it. Maria gapes at him._

MARIA : What's happening ?!

 _He holds her by the shoulders and uses her as a shield, walking down the steps backwards._

DUSTIN : Stay away !

MARIA, trying to escape his hold : Cedric ! What the hell's wrong with you ?!

AGENT : Let go of this woman right now and place your hands above your head !

 _Dustin places his arm against Maria'sneck. He's still backing away and is now encircled by FBI agents. Broyles is there._

BROYLES : It's over, senator ! Surrender !

 _Dustin panicks. He throws his hostage forth. She screams. He then closes his eyes and seems to meditate._

BROYLES : EVERYBODY DOWN !

 _The agents follow the order. Dustin turns red, the music intensifies and then stops abruptly : in the silence, Dustin suddenly liquifies in a pathetic noise. His body collides and is soon just a lumpy opal puddle, mixed with bones and wet clothes. Broyles eyes are wide open._

 **Blue Opening.**


	2. Chapter 2

**On an early morning, at Peter and Olivia's house. Everybody's preparing for his day. In the dining room :**

ETTA, in front of her bowl : But I thought there were 9 planets !

OLIVIA : If your grandfather was here, he'd be sheding a tear.

 _Peter gives her a resentful look._

OLIVIA : Sorry...

PETER : It's... it's okay. No, sweety, till further notice, only 8 planets in the solar system. And you're gonna recite them.

ETTA : Again ?

PETER : Can't hurt.

 **In the living room, Etta's tieing her shoes.**

ETTA : Jupiter, Saturn...

OLIVIA : C'mon, you know this one.

 _Olivia's cellphone rings._

OLIVIA : Recite to daddy, honey.

ETTA, to Peter : Hum... Uranus... And...

 _Peter's cellphone rings as well._

PETER, before answering : It's Neptune, sweety.

ETTA : Neptune !

 _They head out, still on the phone. On the doorstep, Olivia and Peter simultaneously stop._

OLIVIA and PETER : A shapeshifter ?!


	3. Chapter 3

**In front of the Courthouse. The whole team has shown up. Police lines encircle half the place, including what remains of the puddle that was Dustin.**

OLIVIA : You say that nobody close to him had his doubts ?

BROYLES : Absolutely no clue. Its as if senator Dustin was a shapeshifter on vacation.

PETER : Thats not entirely absurd, is it ?

 _They seem lost._

PETER : I mean : it's been a while since we haven't had those kind of issues... Might it be that this one only was let go ?

BROYLES, amused : A retired shapeshifter ?

ASTRID, looking over the mark : Did you get all that was retrievable ?

 _She approaches it._

SYLVIA : Did he liquify without any exogenous agent ?

BROYLES : You'll be able to verify that since the whole body of the senator Dustin was shipped to your lab in 10 liters containers.

OLIVIA : Do we know when he last shapeshifted ?

BROYLES : I was hoping your team could tell me that.

NIELS : Funny, I never thought of that.

PETER : What ?

NIELS : How much space my liquified body would occupy. I would have guessed less.

 _Peter smiles._

ASTRID, coming back : We're on it.

 _The scientific team gets on their way._

PETER, before leaving, to Olivia : I like them.

 _Only Broyles and Olivia stayed._

OLIVIA : You don't think this is a coincidence, sir ?

BROYLES : Senator Dustin had schemes, according to his relatives. Notably concerning defense and interior, agent Dunham.

OLIVIA : What kind of schemes ?

BROYLES : The kind that would have surely interfered with our behavior toward the other universe.

OLIVIA : Dustin knew about that ? How ?

BROYLES : How indeed...


	4. Chapter 4

**Harvard Lab. Astrid and the 3 newbies are analysing Dustin's remains. Sylvia and Johnathan are retrieving samples from large grey cylinders containing the senator's body while Niels conducts his own work further.**

ASTRID, looking through a microscope : There's no doubt. Those are human cells. They're utterly identical to ours. Except for their plasticity. Still unaccounted for…

SYLVIA, pinching her nose : Is there enough samples ?

ASTRID, lifting her head : Pick up some more.

 _Sylvia winces. Peter and Olivia make their entrance._

PETER : You found something ?

JOHNATHAN, busy : We're getting to it.

PETER : Good.

OLIVIA : Astrid, I'd like you to find a way to tell us when this one last shapehifted as soon as you can.

JOHNATHAN : I don't get it. Why didn't you do that the last time you had to face those things ?

SYLVIA : I don't even get how any of this is possible…

OLIVIA : We never captured the body of this type of shapeshifters. They always got away.

JOHNATHAN : « This type » ?

ASTRID : You're in front of a new version of shapeshifters. A 2.0, if you please. The last one had a metal ring implanted in their back.

PETER : It was a hard drive. In my timeline, anyway.

JOHNATHAN : We also have to broach that topic.

ASTRID : There seems to be no equivalent in Mr Dustin.

OLIVIA : What do you have, then ?

SYLVIA : Nose pegs.

NIELS, approaching : I, have results. The cellular structure of this puddle is almost identical to the one of a human being, although its cells no longer posess any organic link to tie each other.

PETER : Hence the puddle.

NIELS : However, I should hypothesize that this organic substance is still reactive. In which case I could study their mimetic properties. I wish to engage in experimental shapeshifting, you see ?

PETER : Well that's fun.

 _The others stare at him jealously._

 **Violins blast, glyph screen : apple and light on the upper left corner.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Harvard Lab. Niels is bending over a big transparent box through which he can manipulate organic tissues on a platform using gloves hermetically attached to its walls. His head is locked in weird eyeglasses and his sight is broadcast on a screen. Astrid, Peter and Olivia are looking at the scene while Sylvia and Johnathan and continuing their research.**

NIELS, thorough : Those tissues are undoubtedly alive.

PETER : How is this possible ?

NIELS, pulling out : Apparently, the longer their contact, the stronger their grip.

OLIVIA : Does that mean the senator was replaced a long time ago ?

NIELS : Better. I can even estimate the date.

ASTRID : How ?

NIELS : The organic substances I have exposed to Mr Dustin's tissues have a very singular reaction when given the right electrical stimulus. It seems that they convert into shapeshifting cells.

ASTRID : They gain their plasticity and mobility.

NIELS : Precisely. With a little more comparison and time, we might have a good estimation.

OLIVIA : Thank you, Mr Hartbridge.

NIELS : Call me Niels.

SYLVIA, mumbling : Mut…

 _Olivia's phone rings._

OLIVIA : Agent Bishop. Yes, sir ?

 _She walks away._

PETER, discreetly to Astrid : This one is a crack.

 _Astrid smiles._

OLIVIA, returning : Of course, sir. (She hangs up) We're to pay a little visit to a woman close to the senator.

 _Peter and her leave._

ASTRID : Good luck.

PETER, looking at the big cylinders as he passes by : I think she'll need it the most.


	6. Chapter 6

**Boston subburbs. Peter and Olivia get out of a car and walk toward a house.**

 _They ring the bell. They can hear children's footsteps right before the door is prompted open._

MARIA, with dark circles under her eyes : Hi… hello ?

OLIVIA, showing her badge : Good morning, Ms Brunetti. I'm special agent Olivia Bishop and this is consultant Peter Bishop. We've come to talk to you about senator Dustin.

MARIA : Of course, come in.

 _They proceed. A man stands in the living room alongside a little girl. He interrupts her laughing and asks her to get upstairs._

MARIA : Have a sit. Lance is my husband.

PETER : Hello.

LANCE : Hi…

OLIVIA : Ms Brunetti. Do you recall any recent change in Mr Dustin's behavior ?

MARIA : I… don't think so. What happened, exactly ?

OLIVIA : We're not allowed to give you such information.

LANCE : Come on ! Doesn't she deserve to know what the heck happened to her colleague ? He liquified in front of her !

OLIVIA, hesitating : Mr Dustin was infected by an unknown agent that's threatening the nation's security.

MARIA : This makes no sense ! How could an infection alter his behavior in such a way ?

OLIVIA : Ms Brunetti, please. I'm doing the first step. Would you join me ?

 _She relaxes._

OLIVIA : What about older changes ? Did anything suspicious ever stroke you ?

MARIA : What do you mean ?

PETER : When did he decide to run for senator ?

 _Olivia looks at him, perplex._

MARIA : Two years ago, I think.

PETER : Didn't that surprised you ?

MARIA : Well… Cedric knew people. Of course, it seemed odd. I can't say I knew this part of him.

LANCE : You think he was infected at that time ?

OLIVIA : Possible. Do you know what his motivations were ?

MARIA : Actually, it wasn' this favorite topic of conversation… He was interested in defense and… I wish I had asked him about those things.

PETER : It's okay.

OLIVIA : Do you remember if the FBI ever contacted him for an investigation or any kind of help ?

MARIA : No, I don't think so. You should better ask this to his family.

OLIVIA : Did you notice the presence of unfamiliar individuals on your workplae ?

MARIA : Ahem… No. We weren't that close, you know. He sometimes ate alone. He used to receive a phonecall he didn't want anyone else to hear. Just like anybody else, I guess.

 **Later, out the door.**

PETER : She doesn't seem to know much…

OLIVIA : You think the lawyer's plans were linked to his… nature ?

PETER : This wouldn't be the first time we discovered someone at the top was replaced.


	7. Chapter 7

**Office in the back of the Lab. Olivia is writing some report. Peter comes in.**

PETER : They still haven't found anything but they're onto something.

OLIVIA : Good. Good.

PETER : Something wrong ?

OLIVIA : I've got a bad feeling about this. I know Broyles takes it very seriously but I can't really figure out why. I feel like he has elements he won't share with us.

PETER : Elements on what ?

OLIVIA : If only I knew. But it's clear that something is up again.

 _Broyles comes in._

BROYLES : Agent Bishop, Peter.

 _They greet one another._

BROYLES : Here are the interrogatories results. Everything's clear. So much that it's suspicious.

PETER, smiling : A senator's family.

BROYLES : But we've got one thing. We listened to all communications recorded at the Courthall. The day he was arrested, the senator received an intriguing phonecall.

 **In the lab, a computer plays the record.**

"PHONE : They're here, 17. You've gotta sneak out.

DUSTIN : Sneak out ? How ?

DUSTIN : Im surrounded...

PHONE : Find a way. Or erase the data. They shan't retrieve anything.

DUSTIN, with a darker tone, gulping : Very well. Goodbye, 13."

OLIVIA : He wasn't alone.

PETER : That the only record you found ?

BROYLES : Agents are still going through the calls.

OLIVIA : This way of refering to each other by code. It's like they're part of some organization.

PETER : At least we know this shapeshifter wasn't retired.

NIELS, bursting out : Two years and three months ! That's my result. Senator Dustin was very probably replaced two years and three months ago.

OLIVIA : That's around when he decided to become a senator.


	8. Chapter 8

**Unknown appartment. The radio is on but nothing is being transmitted. A man is shaving in the bathroom, topless, in a military suit.**

 _He washes up when a broadcast starts._

RADIO : 17 won't reveal anything. He won't be anymore trouble. Over.

 _He dries up and turns around to take some microphone._

13 : This is 13. Roger. Over.

RADIO : 13, begin the operation. Over.

 _He turns back, smiles at his reflection. He cracks his neck, his skin becomes briefly transluscent._

 **Violins blast, glyph screen : leaf and light on the bottom left hand corner.**


	9. Chapter 9

**FBI headquarters. A woman is waiting in an interrogation room. It is Dustin's wife. She's livid and sad. Olivia enters, followed by Peter.**

OLIVIA : Ms Dustin.

MS DUSTIN : Why am I being held here ?

OLIVIA : You failed the lie detector examination.

MS DUSTIN : Then this detector is faulty. I am the wife of a senator, agent. And I demand...

PETER : You're no longer the wife of no senator, and you are going to tell us the truth, now.

MS DUSTIN : How dare you ?

OLIVIA : Ms Dustin, did you notice the presence of unfamiliar individuals around your house ?

MS DUSTIN : Appart from the FBI lately, I did not have to complain.

OLIVIA : Did your husband receive unexpected or unaccounted for visits ?

MS DUSTIN, hesitating : Well yes he did. He pursued the dream of becoming a senator. Hence his tendancy to speak late to ...

PETER : He could use his phone for this.

OLIVIA : Ms Dustin, you answered differently to this question during the last sessions with the FBI.

PETER : Tell us who your husband met now.


	10. Chapter 10

**Boston street. An alert youngster of 15, Dustin's son, walks.**

 _He opens a door and follows a path to a yard surrounded by appartments. He climbs some stairs until he reaches the second floor. He then knocks on the door 219. An old white haired man opens._

OLD MAN, smiling : Hello... Are you looking for something, young man ?

CHARLES (the child) : I lost my dog. It's a Cotton of Tulea, weighs 9 pounds, with a black rubber collar.

OLD MAN, darker : Come in.

 _The place is full of cardboards and stacked furniture._

CHARLES : I wanna talk to n°1. Where's the radio ?

13, still in the man of the man with the military pants, greets him.

13 : Hey kid. Sorry for your dad.

CHARLES, cold : Where's the radio ?

13, moving aside : There.

 _Charles follows the direction and grabs the microphone lying next to the radio, in the bathroom._

CHARLES : N°1, call for n°1, here's n°19. Over.

1 : N°1 listening , what's happening ? Over.

CHARLES : 18 is being interrogated right now by the FBI. What's the move ? Over.

1 : Your mother ? Over.

CHARLES : Yes...


	11. Chapter 11

**Harvard Lab. Sylvia, Niels and Johnathan are sitting and thinking together. Astrid stands in front of them.**

JOHNATHAN : I can't see.

SYLVIA : Ms Farnoth, we've tried everything...

ASTRID, surprised : Farnsworth. There's gotta be something we didn't catch. We're looking for a database, it should leave some marks, even dissolved in human tissue...

NIELS : Maybe those ones don't have a database.

ASTRID : Impossible. Those things aren't real people with real brains. They've gotta transport something.

JOHNATHAN : Something... We've analysed more than 12 samples, we've stirred the soup vigorously not to miss any part...

 _Sylvia winces._

JOHNATHAN : If there was one, it disappeared.

SYLVIA, thinking : Wait... Maybe those shapeshifters don't have brains of their own...

NIELS : If you pronounce the words "Collective Consciousness", I'm outta here.

SYLVIA : No, no. But you said it yourself. All of the senator's cells react to electric stimuli.

NIELS : We've already pondered over this : what we're looking for isn't in the still living cells we retrieved.

SYLVIA : Maybe not these ones in particular. But what happens if we insert them in their regular environment ?

JOHNATHAN : You mean Senator Dustin is in fact just a big brain with legs ?

 _Sylvia stands up and runs to the other end of the lab._

ASTRID : Where are you going ?

SYLVIA : To a proper working table.

 **Later, a large table sits in front of them. It has an iron surface, with raised edges. The whole thing looks like a pool.**

SYLVIA : Now, hand me the senator, please.

 _She grabs the containers and opens them. She pours the remains over the table. The other can't refrain a noise of disgust. The liquid spreads on the iron basin. Shen then lays a large grid on it, to which many thin cables are connected._

SYLVIA : Would you turn it on, please ?

 _On the other side, Niels starts a generator. Sylvia moves toward a screen. The others follow. It shows what seems to be a map of the plan covered in human tissues. It's repeatedly lit by luminescent waves, that are slowly drawing white feable branches in the rectangle. The ramifications seem to stem from a central point._

SYLVIA : There's our nervous system.

ASTRID : That's incredible. Even dead and disassembled, thoses cells manage to reconstitute a whole organic network.

NIELS, looking at the table rather than the screen : Hum, look over there.

 _They turn back and discover that the flesh has become translucid. The so-called network is beaming with a slight intensity. Sylvia walks toward the point of convergence._

SYLVIA : And if there is indeed a database, it's here.

 _Niels smiles at her, impressed. They both turn to Johnathan, who seems nervous, in a manner of saying : "Your turn." Astrid grins._


	12. Chapter 12

**FBI headquarters. Charles is yelling after an agent that won't let him go through the entrance checkings. Broyles enters.**

CHARLES : I don't care ! You can't keep her here ! And you have no right not to let me see her !

BROYLES : What's going on, here ?

AGENT : Sir. Mr Dustin here would like to enter the facility without valid clearance.

CHARLES : Let me see my mother ! My father just died !

 _Broyles glances at both of them._

BROYLES : Let him in, agent.

 _Broyles has him follow._

CHARLES, with a dark look : Thanks... I wanna see my mom. I was told you kidnapped her in the middle of the day !

BROYLES : We have good reasons to hold your mother here, young man. But you have all right to talk to her.

 _Broyles accompanies him until they reach the interrogation room._

 **Behind the tainted window, Broyles, Peter and Olivia look at the family members reunited. They both look mournful.**

PETER : You think she's faking ?

OLIVIA : I don't know. She's clearly hiding something.

PETER : Maybe her husband threatened her to get her silence.

OLIVIA : Maybe... Look at them. They look appalled.

BROYLES, intrigued : Senator Dustin was grasping a box, just before he... liquified. He took it from his office. Of course we looked thouroughly through it. Only to find sentimental trinkets and a photograph of him and his family... _(pausing)_ Go back to the interrogation in a minute. I want a name, a place, a lead, anything.

 **On the other side of the window.**

CHARLES : Mom, why do they hold you here ?

MS DUSTIN : Son, I'm afraid your father wasn't the man you thought he was...

CHARLES : What does that mean ?

MS DUSTIN : I cannot tell your more... But, you have to know something : he loved you. he loved the both of us.

CHARLES : Why are you always hiding me everything ?

MS DUSTIN : It's for your own good, honey.

CHARLES : That's what you guys always said...

 _Olivia and Peter interrupt._

OLIVIA : Time's up, Ms Dustin. Mr Dustin...

 _Charles stands up and gets close to his mother. He hugs her strongly. Without the others seeing, the necks of the boy and his mother become briefly translucid, at the moment when they touch. A weak lightning lightens the mothers face. She seems to suddenly realize something. She then shutters._

MS DUSTIN : Everything's going to be okay, sweetheart. Do as they say. I love you.

 _He nodds and leaves._

 **Two agents are awaiting him behind the door.**

CHARLES : I wanna go to the bathroom.

 _One of them tells to other to take the boy there._

 **Interrogation room.**

OLIVIA : Now, Ms Dustin, you're gonna tell us everything.

PETER : Who was your husband working for ? What were his goals ?

 _She remains silent and hesitating._

OLIVIA : You're already considered a complice. Your only way out is to accept to talk.

 _The woman grabs her glass of water._

MS DUSTIN : I was never directly confronted to them. I myself wasn't part of the operation. But I know where my husband was heading from time to time...

PETER : Give us the adress.

MS DUSTIN : 1462...

 _She brutally bends her body, in a scream of pain._

PETER : What the hell is happening ?

 _She clutches her head, moaning. She becomes translucid._

OLIVIA, quickly coming to her : She's a shapeshifter too. The adress, give us the adress !

 **In a corridor, one of the agent that was waiting for Charles in front of the interrogation room is heading to the toilets.**

 _He sights the other agent that was taking the boy to the bathroom before._

AGENT 1, coming to him : Kid's in the bathroom. Would you take over, please ?

 _He leaves. Our agent heads to the boy. He reaches the door and knocks._

AGENT : Mr Dustin ? Kid ? You here ?

 _He tries to open. It's locked. He shakes the doorknob, then attempts to break it down. The door is prompted open. He sees the body of his colleague on the ground. The skin on his face has a weird colour : he was just shapeshifted._

 **Interrogation room. Ms Dustin is still agonizing. Broyles suddenly comes in.**

BROYLES : They're shapeshifters !

OLIVIA, holding the woman's head : We know !

MS DUSTIN : Hamp... Hampton... Hampton av... Hampton avenue !

 _She abruptly lifts her head. She's glaring at them, apparently not in control of what is happening. She stays still, turns red and her neck begins to glow. She liquifies._

 **Violins blast. Glyph screen : apple and light on the left hand corner.**


	13. Chapter 13

**FBI headquarters. Broyles, Olivia and Peter are walking hurriedly.**

OLIVIA : 1462 Hampton Avenue, that's the adress she gave us.

BROYLES : What happened in there ?

PETER : It's as if she had been attacked. As if someone remotely triggered something.

BROYLES : You think that whoever created her can control its shapeshifters and force them to self-destruct ?

PETER : It seems like it.

OLIVIA : It's gonna be hard to have them talk.

BROYLES : I'm sending all my units. Be there ASAP.


	14. Chapter 14

**New York Airport.**

 _Different shots of the shapeshifter n°13 getting out of a plane, grabbing his luggage at a terminal, calling a cab, and heading to Liberty Island on a boat, with other military, dressed like him._


	15. Chapter 15

**1462, Hampton Avenue. During the day, about 15 trucks from the FBI converge.**

 _They surround the building. Olivia, Peter and Broyles get out of a truck and find each other._

BROYLES : Deploy now !

 _The agents flood the place - which seems to be an empty warehouse. Nothing's found. At each room verified, they yell "Clear !" and move on. Outside, Olivia and Peter are talking to Broyles._

PETER : We were tricked. There's nothing here.

OLIVIA : They can't have vanished so quickly. There's gotta be a clue somewhere in there.

BROYLES : Unless they were never here in the first place...

 _An agent approaches Broyles. He's holding something in his hands._

AGENT : We found this radio, sir. It's on.

 _He hands it to his superior. Broyles places the device against his ear. There's a broadcast. The four of them begin to listen._

 **The voice heard does a voice-over while we follow n°13 mooring his boat. The voice is slow and soft. We recognize the one which Charles called n°1.**

RADIO : Senator Dustin's death isn't a hindrance.

 _Shots of the shapeshifter passing through various security checks. He penetrates the installation and walks through some corridors, saluting some genrals along the way._

RADIO : Ms Dustin assumed her part till the very end of the show.

 _N°13 looks around, making sure that nobody can see him. He arrives at a door._

RADIO : Surely, a power on your division would have been appreciated...

 _At a post of security, an alarm rings._

RADIO : The cherry on top of the cake. We'll be happpy with only the cream.

 _A squad of military rushes down Liberty Island's maze. 13 is in the Vacuum's room. He is setting off some strange rocket-launcher-like device._

RADIO : A storm is coming, gentlemen. And when the turmoil eventually abates...

 _13 shoots the machine while he's alone in the room. A large iron arrow hits its surface and locks itself into it. The machine makes a weird noise. He then takes a metal box covered in crazed lights._

RADIO : ... Humanity won't be able to recover.

 _The military suddenly oppen the door and imobilize the individual before he gets the chance to use his device._


	16. Chapter 16

**Aerial shot of the statue of Liberty vibrating and switching colors. It's now bronze. We're in the other universe.**

 _Bolivia and Lincolm Lee are lying on the ground in a park, just like Olivia and Peter at the end of season 5. It's a bit rainy and very bright. Bolivia kisses Lincolm and show him the sky. They witness a wonderfull rainbow. Suddenly, a heavy shockwave bears and and propagates rapidly in the sky, in a wide low sound. It obliterates the colorful shape on its path. it's as if a gigantic invisible baloon was growing._

 _The smiles on their faces vanishes._

 _Closeup on Bolivia, who seems scared and puzzled._


	17. Chapter 17

**Vacuum's room. Astrid stands there with peter and Olivia. Many people are present, getting busy around the machine and its wound. There's a big metal harpoon-like object jabbed on the front. On its end, a light glows green, green, green then red. the agents are standing back and talking.**

ASTRID : We're not able to figure out the scope of the damage yet, but the machine is clearly reacting.

 _The machine makes another low and creaking noise._

OLIVIA : Do we have a lead on the incentives ? Why does this shapeshifter shoot on it ?

ASTRID : No idea. We found this next to him. ( _she hand them the metal box_ ) Apparently, he was about to use it.

PETER : You mean we interrupted him ?

ASTRID, turning back to the machine : Let's hope we did it in time.

PETER : There's no way to retrieve this arrow ?

ASTRID : No. The Vacuum is currently protected by a powerful force field. We can't even risk putting a finger on it.

 _Peter approaches the device. Olivia follows._

PETER : There's no doubt. It's definitely on.

OLIVIA : Not entirely. I haven't seen any trace of lee or of a less sexy version of me around here.

 _He smiles at her. She smiles back, still nervous._

OLIVIA : We both know what this means…

PETER : Olivia…

OLIVIA : Last time we needed to control the machine's force field, there was merely one resort. Me. And I'm pretty sure cortexiphan was involved.

PETER, holding her in his arms : This is absolutely not a solution. It's out of question. We're gonna figure something out, ok ?

 _Olivia holds him. She adds, still smiling and scared :_

OLIVIA : Besides you could have to get back into the big thing, you little coward.

 **Interrogation room, NY FBI headquarters. N°13 is sitting. Behind the window, Peter, Olivia and Broyles are talking.**

PETER : We've been played with like little school girls. It was a friggin' nice distraction.

BROYLES : Something constructive, mr Bishop ?

PETER : Nothing in store…

BROYLES : What did you do with the device ?

OLIVIA : The box ? Already shipped to Boston.

PETER : You heard the message on the radio. All of this is directed against us, isn't it ?

BROYLES : It seems so.

PETER : The senator story was designed to trick us. Dustin's wife : just a ruse deviate our eyes.

OLIVIA : So what ?

PETER : So let's get to the other side of that glass and get our answers once and for all !

OLIVIA, looking at Broyles : It's our only option.

 **Violins blast. Glyph screen : leaf, light up the right hand corner.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Harvard lab. Johnathan,Niels and Sylvia are working. Sylvia's looking at a computer screen, Johnathan is looking at some samples in a microscope, and Niels is patting on Gene's head.**

 _The cow moos._

NIELS : Gooood cow.

JOHNATHAN : You could at least pretend you're worling…

NIELS : You knowwhat ? Beside the practical biological interest, having this kind of presence around is really pleasing.

SYLVIA : Do you prefer its presence over ours… ?

NIELS : It's more of a bonus. Don't take it the wrong way.

JOHNATHAN : I found something.

SYLVIA : What is it ?

JOHNATHAN : I took a few samples of the convergence point in the neuronal grid we reconstructed.

NIELS : You finally had your epiphany as well, didn't you ?

JOHNATHAN : I naturally found muscle cells, but also quite a strong concentration of spinal fluid and spinal cord cells, all of this floatting in amylase.

NIELS, approaching : Boss said we were eventually going to get used to that ? Personnally, road not entirely walked down for now…

JOHNATHAN : All those elements exist in the human body, but their concentrations here point out a precise locations. It seems that the nerve center is located in the throat.

NIELS : Not bad…

SYLVIA : How to make sure ?

 _The door opens. An agent enters, carrying a trolley with bottles similar to theones in which senator Dustin's remains were lying._

AGENT : I was told to bring you those. Funny, « Ms Dustin » 's written on this one.

NIELS : Thank you sir, we'll take it from here.

 _The agent leaves, intrigued._

JOHNATHAN : This'll do fine.


	19. Chapter 19

**Machine room. Astrid is standing there. Nina comes in and joins her.**

NINA : Ms Farnsworth ! (she looks at the giant device) My god… Not again…

ASTRID : What are you doing here, Ms Sharp ?

NINA : I came as soon as I heard. Do we have any information regarding the shapeshifter's incentive ?

ASTRID, striken : How could you know about the shapeshifter ? It's absolutely classified !

NINA, amused : Philippe, my dear, Philippe.

ASTRID : That's clean…

NINA : Massive Dynamic never ceased to watch the machine closely anyway.

ASTRID : Then can you tell us what's happening ?

 _Nina walks closer to the machine and looks at the big iron arrow stuck in its front._

NINA : We don't know. And you, do you know what's the next part of the plan ?

ASTRID : If only Walter was there to help us...


	20. Chapter 20

**Interrogation room, New York. Peter and Olivia are conducting the interrogation on the shapeshifter.**

PETER : Tell us what you were trying to do !

 _13 remains silent._

OLIVIA : Being a shapeshifter and all, you are to understand that you have the right to an attorney. In fact, there aren't any existing regulations that we must follow to conduct this interrogation. Simply put, we can legally employ any mean in order to have you talk.

 _He smiles._

13 : There's a reason for which you never got the chance to interrogate anyone from my kind. I am here because I want it.

PETER : But we all know you won't get out of this place.

OLIVIA : So either you cooperate, or the only bodies you're shapeshifiting from now on are rats.

13 Or I can dissolve at any moment if I want it. How much do you think I care about my existence ?

OLIVIA : We already had to deal with members of your kind today.

13 : Comedians.

OLIVIA : Maybe. But, you know, it's not because you're playing a rôle all day that you won't begin to feel things for the people you're playing along with, even for the people you're fooling.

 _13 stops smiling._

13 : You're messing with something way bigger than you, agent Bishop.

PETER, lying : We've seen worse.

13 : For now. You'll struggle. You'll beg for mercy, you'll cry for your allies. All this in vain.

PETER : Why ? What's coming ?

13 : We've progressed. We learned from our mistakes. We've come back, and we're indestructible.

OLIVIA : Who's « we » ?

13 : I almost pity you.

 **Other side of the window, Broyles receives a phonecall from the lab.**

BROYLES : General Broyles talking.

JOHNATHAN : It's Mr found a way to identify shapeshifters. Their nerve center is located in their throat. It's a sort of pocket filled with spinal fluid. It's visible and it shines whenwhen their capacities are sollicitated.

 **Back in the interrogation room.**

 _13 looks at hem, silent._

13, calmly : Go to hell.

 _He closes his eyes, his face blushes, his neck feably brightens. His body falls appart in a big puddle._

 _Peter and Olivia step aside, disgusted. Olivia looks at the window, appalled. On the other side, Broyles returns the same look._


	21. Chapter 21

**Typewriter store in the bronx. The same merchant from season 2 and 3 stands here. He seems happy, he has full use of both his legs.**

 _He waves at a client leaving his store, then gets busy sorting some things up. He turns back and opens a door. It's the Selectric 251room, full of packages, furnitures, paper, ink and other machine stocked there. But the table, with the mirror and the Selectric typewriter are still standing in the middle. He enters and begins cleaning up some papers._

 _Suddenly, he hears a noise. The machine starts typing. The man immediately looses his smile. He gets closer. Some letters appear onthe paper, line after line._

 _« Things have gotten worse again on our side. Asking for an interview. »_

 _ **Violins blast. Glyph screen : liquid face to the right.**_

 **Credits.**


End file.
